


Better Off As Lovers

by PhoenixAccio



Category: Fall Out Boy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-30
Updated: 2017-12-30
Packaged: 2019-02-23 19:31:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13197018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhoenixAccio/pseuds/PhoenixAccio
Summary: This is inspired by a dream I had so it's a little disjointed but here it is enjoy *holds fic up like in the lion king*





	Better Off As Lovers

**Author's Note:**

> This is inspired by a dream I had so it's a little disjointed but here it is enjoy *holds fic up like in the lion king*

Pete walked out onto the apartment complex's rooftop to join Patrick. Patrick had wanted to watch the fourth of july fireworks, and the rooftop had the best view.

Patrick smiled when he caught sight of Pete.  
"Hey," he greeted.

"Hey," Pete replied.

He held up a quilt he'd scavenged from the closet. "In case it gets cold," he explained, laying the blanket out on the roof so he and Patrick could sit down on it.

"Good thinking," said Patrick, once they had both settled on the blanket.

They sat in silence for a bit, just stretched out on the blanket, enjoying the night.

"I'm glad we can do this," Patrick said softly after a few minutes. "Sit together and watch fireworks, and have it not even be a romantic thing. Just as friends."

Pete twisted his fingers in the pale yellow fabric of the quilt.  
"Yeah," he replied weakly. "Just as friends."

They didn't speak much after that. Just watched the fireworks. Each of them opening their mouth occasionally to point out a firework they especially liked. Patrick was laughing. Pete could settle for 'just as friends', he supposed, if it made Patrick happy. God, he was totally hopeless.

Pete and Patrick were roommates. This was fun, sharing an apartment with his best friend, until Pete's best-friend feelings had morphed into something deeper.

As far as he could tell, there was no sign his feelings were reciprocated in any way. He told himself that every time he caught himself staring at Patrick, or thinking about his eyes, or the texture of his hair, or something vaguely stalker-y like that, resulting from his gigantic repressed crush.

Living together, while fun at first, was slowly becoming the opposite.

Because of this, Pete often stayed late at the restaurant he worked in as a server, offering to close up, or take extra shifts. It was one of those nights when Pete arrived home to Patrick lying on the couch, looking serious.

"What's up, Pattycakes?" Pete joked, putting down his keys on the little table.

"Don't call me that." Patrick groaned immediately.  
"Why are you always at work?" He questioned. "You're never home when I want to watch a movie or something. Wasn't that why we decided to be roommates in the first place? To spend time with each other?"

Pete studied Patrick. His eyes looked a little red, like he'd been crying, but that was probably just a trick of the light, right?

"Do they just always keep you late or something?" Patrick questioned.

Pete ran a hand through his hair.  
"It's more complicated than that," he replied after a few seconds.

"Then what is it?" Patrick snapped, clearly unhappy with his roommate's answer. "Do you just not want to spend time with me anymore?"

"It's more complicated than that," Pete just repeated.

Patrick didn't look satisfied with the response. Of course he didn't. Pete really didn't want to get in an argument again. Patrick had a bit of a temper, and tended not to make good decisions when he got mad. Last time they'd fought, Patrick hadn't spoken to Pete for a week, until Pete came home from work one night and found the younger man crying on the couch. They made up after that. 

Apparently, Patrick hadn't wanted to ignore Pete since after the first day, but had kept it up because he hadn't wanted to be the one to break the silence. Pete had laughed a little at his friend's ridiculous competitive streak, earning him a playful shove from Patrick. They'd watched TV together for the rest of the night, as if they'd never been fighting in the first place.

Pete took a breath. "I'm sorry I'm working so late all the time. I promise there's a good explanation."

Patrick looked at him. "I'd love to hear it," he replied in an annoyed tone.

Pete paused for a moment to consider his options.

A. Make something up. No. Patrick would see through it. He wasn't _that_ good at lying, and Patrick had kind of a sixth sense for telling when people weren't telling him the truth.

B. Just kiss him. No again. If he kissed Patrick now, he'd probably just end up with a black eye. Not a great plan.

C. Run. Tempting, but he could tell he wasn't getting out of this that easily.

D. Just tell the truth. Pete didn't want to, but this was looking like the only option of any value here, and the least likely to get him killed, if he didn't die of embarrassment first.

Pete took some deep breaths in an attempt to slow down his heart, which had apparently heard what he intended to do, and, just as terrified as he was, was attempting to slam its way out of his chest and make a break for it.

Patrick was still looking at him expectantly.

Pete opened his mouth. Might as well get it over with.

"Fuck. The reason I'm always staying late is-" Pete stopped again and took another breath. "ThereasonimI'malwsysstayinglateisbecauseIhaveacrushonyou," Pete said incredibly quickly.

"...What?" Patrick replied.

"I... uh... kinda have a giant gross crush on you... and have been avoiding you to make it less awkward?"

Then, Patrick did what was probably exactly the thing Pete was not expecting him to do, which was to grab his face and kiss him on the mouth.

Pete was frozen for a minute, but after the initial shock wore off, he was able to kiss back. Holy shit. Holyshitholyshitholyshit. Apparently, his feelings weren't as unreciprocated as he'd thought. Okay.

Pete couldn't talk for a couple of seconds after Patrick pulled away.

"Thank fuck," Patrick said, his head dropping onto Pete's shoulder. "I thought you just hated me. Fuck."

"Yeah," Pete agreed. "Wanna watch a movie?"

He should've known it would be fine. They never stayed mad at each other for long. It would be unnatural.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on tumblr @phoenixaccio


End file.
